Race for the Future Raises $60,000

By Jason Mazda

For the second consecutive year, dental technology’s future was made brighter by the organizers, participants, and supporters of the Race for the Future. Held this year at the Music City Triathlon in Nashville, Tennessee on July 26, the Race for the Future 2.0 raised more than $60,000 for the Foundation for Dental Laboratory Technology.

“Without such overwhelming support from our industry, we would not be able to continue to support education in dental technology,” says Foundation Chair Leon Hermanides, CDT. “It was an excellent bonus that people got healthier to do it.”

The inaugural event last year in Chicago raised $36,000, and organizers had set a goal of $45,000 this year. They shattered that mark.

“The individual racers really raised a lot from their peers, their own family networks, their personal networks, even dentist clients,” says Bennett Napier, CAE, Chief Staff Executive for the National Association of Dental Laboratories (NADL). They felt more comfortable asking for money this year, having seen how the funds have been used to expand the number of grants and scholarships offered by the Foundation.”

Eighteen people participated this year, and each one finished the race—including 8 who had never entered a triathlon previously. Including spectators, approximately 40 people from the industry attended the race, Napier says.

“The best thing about it was being able to associate with some of the brightest people in our industry and being able to help support the Foundation’s mission of education,” says Brian Carson, CDT, who participated along with his wife, Maggie, after driving more than 8 hours from North Carolina.

The event had 7 Platinum Sponsors (Argen Corporation; Bego; Inside Dental Technology; NADL; Nowak Dental Supplies; Sirona Dental, Inc.; and Zahn Dental); 8 Silver Sponsors (Charles E. McClemens, CDT, TE; Chmel Dental Laboratory; Dimension Dental Design, CDL; IdentAlloy and IdentCeram; JacksonFairmont Dental Laboratory, DAMAS; The Lab 2000 Inc., CDL; Quintessence Publishing; and Whip Mix); and 1 Bronze Sponsor (SafeLink Consulting Inc.).

“I look at everything the Foundation does for everybody, and I know that the money is needed, so it makes sense to be a sponsor and support this group,” says race participant Shawn Nowak, President of Nowak Dental Supplies and a Foundation board member.

The Foundation still is accepting donations for the Race for the Future 2.0. To contribute, go to nadl.org/dltf/donate-online.cfm.